This invention relates to jet propelled, rotary engines having rotors rotationally driven by the reactive force of matter being discharged from jet assemblies.
Producing motive power through the reactive force of jets has long been known. For instance, Goddard U.S. Pat. No. 2,637,166 discloses a turbine in which the reactions of high velocity jets are used to effect rotation of a turbine. Howard U.S. Pat. No. 2,603,947 discloses a ram jet arrangement for rotation in a continuous combustion-type generator. Goddard U.S. Pat. No. 2,544,420 discloses a combustion chamber used to provide rotational power in a propulsion apparatus such as in driving a propeller shaft. Hart U.S. Pat. No. 2,499,863 discloses a rotary jet propelled motor.
More recently, the inventor has made developments in the field of rotary heat engines for which he has received U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,408,824, issued Apr. 25, 1995, and 5,560,196, issued Oct. 1, 1996, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Among the advantages of the present invention may be noted the provision of an improved rotary heat engine and a method of using the same.
In one aspect of the present invention, a jet-propelled rotary engine comprises a stator and a rotor operatively coupled to the stator for rotation of the rotor relative to the stator about a rotor axis. The rotor comprises at least first and second jet assemblies. The first jet assembly defines a first converging flow region, a first diverging flow region downstream of the first converging flow region, and a first discharge port. The second jet assembly defines a second converging flow region, a second diverging flow region downstream of the second converging flow region, and a second discharge port. The rotary engine further comprises a combustion region having an upstream portion. The rotary engine is adapted to cause a combustion reaction of an oxygen-fuel mixture in the combustion region in a manner to form combustion reaction products which comprise at least a part of thrust matter to be discharged through the discharge ports of the first and second jet assemblies. The rotary engine is adapted to combust at least some of the oxygen-fuel mixture in the upstream portion of the combustion region such that at least a portion of the combustion reaction occurs in the upstream portion of the combustion region and is adapted and configured to channel at least some of the thrust matter formed in the upstream portion of the combustion region through the discharge ports of the first and second jet assemblies.
In a another aspect of the present invention, a jet-propelled rotary engine comprises a stator and a rotor operatively coupled to the stator for rotation of the rotor relative to the stator about a rotor axis. The rotor comprises at least one jet assembly that defines a converging flow region, a diverging flow region downstream of the converging flow region, and a discharge port. The rotary engine has a combustion region that includes an upstream portion and is adapted to cause a combustion reaction of an oxygen-fuel mixture in the combustion region in a manner to form combustion reaction products which comprise at least a part of thrust matter to be discharged through the discharge port. The rotary engine is further adapted to combust at least some of the oxygen-fuel mixture in the upstream portion of the combustion region. The jet assembly is adapted for supersonic discharge of a jet stream of the thrust matter from the discharge port with the jet stream having a jet stream centerline as the thrust matter is being discharged from the discharge port. The upstream portion of the combustion region is spaced from the rotor axis a distance not greater than 90% of R, where R is the shortest distance between the rotor axis and the jet stream centerline.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a jet-propelled rotary engine comprises a stator and a rotor operatively coupled to the stator for rotation of the rotor relative to the stator about a rotor axis. The rotor comprises at least one jet assembly that defines a converging flow region, a diverging flow region downstream of the converging flow region, and a discharge port. The jet assembly is adapted to traverse a circular path as the rotor rotates about the rotor axis. A combustion region is defined at least in part by the rotor and has an upstream portion. The rotary engine is adapted to cause a combustion reaction of an oxygen-fuel mixture in the combustion region in a manner to form combustion reaction products which comprise at least a part of thrust matter to be discharged through the discharge port of the jet assembly. The rotary engine is further adapted to combust at least some of the oxygen-fuel mixture in the upstream portion of the combustion region such that at least a portion of the combustion reaction occurs in the upstream portion of the combustion region. The rotary engine is further adapted and configured to channel at least some of the thrust matter formed in the upstream portion of the combustion region through the discharge port of the jet assembly and further comprises a generally annular duct circumscribing the circular path traversed by the jet assembly. The duct has a generally annular duct diverging region and an annular duct end wall. The duct diverging region diverges as it extends radially outward and the duct end wall has an inner surface that circumscribes the duct diverging region.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a jet-propelled rotary engine comprises a stator and a rotor operatively coupled to the stator for rotation of the rotor relative to the stator about a rotor axis. The rotor comprises at least first and second jet assemblies. The first jet assembly defines a first converging flow region, a first diverging flow region downstream of the first converging flow region, and a first discharge port. The second jet assembly defines a second converging flow region, a second diverging flow region downstream of the second converging flow region, and a second discharge port. The rotary engine further comprises a combustion region having an upstream portion defined by the stator. The rotary engine is adapted to cause a combustion reaction of an oxygen-fuel mixture in the combustion region in a manner to form combustion reaction products which comprise at least a part of thrust matter to be discharged through at least one of the discharge ports of the first and second jet assemblies. The rotary engine is further adapted to combust at least some of the oxygen-fuel mixture in the upstream portion of the combustion region such that at least a portion of the combustion reaction occurs in the upstream portion of the combustion region.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a jet-propelled rotary engine comprises a stator and a rotor operatively coupled to the stator for rotation of the rotor relative to the stator about a rotor axis. The rotor comprises at least one steam passageway that defines a steam inlet port, a steam converging flow region, a steam diverging flow region downstream of the steam converging flow region, and a steam discharge port. The steam discharge port is adapted to traverse a circular path as the rotor rotates about the rotor axis. The steam passageway is separate from any combustion region of the rotor and is adapted to discharge steam through the steam discharge port a supersonic velocity. The rotary engine further comprises a generally annular duct circumscribing the circular path traversed by the steam discharge port. The duct has a generally annular duct diverging region that diverges as it extends radially outwardly.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method comprises providing a jet-propelled rotary engine having a stator, a rotor, a combustion region, and a generally annular duct. The rotor is operatively coupled to the stator for rotation of the rotor relative to the stator about a rotor axis. The rotor comprises at least one jet assembly that defines a converging flow region, a diverging flow region downstream of the converging flow region, and a discharge port. The jet assembly is adapted to traverse a circular path as the rotor rotates about the rotor axis. The combustion region is defined at least in part by the rotor and has an upstream portion. The rotary engine is adapted to cause a combustion reaction of an oxygen-fuel mixture in the combustion region in a manner to form combustion reaction products which comprise at least a part of thrust matter to be discharged through the discharge port of the jet assembly. The rotary engine is further adapted to combust at least some of the oxygen-fuel mixture in the upstream portion of the combustion region such that at least a portion of the combustion reaction occurs in the upstream portion of the combustion region. The rotary engine is further adapted and configured to channel at least some of the thrust matter formed in the upstream portion of the combustion region through the discharge port of the jet assembly. The duct circumscribes the circular path traversed by the jet assembly. The method further comprises causing a cooling fluid to flow adjacent the annular duct in a manner to cool the duct.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method comprises providing a jet-propelled rotary engine having a stator, a rotor, and a combustion region. The rotor is operatively coupled to the stator for rotation of the rotor relative to the stator about a rotor axis and comprises at least one thrust matter jet assembly and at least one steam jet assembly. The thrust matter jet assembly defines a thrust matter converging flow region, a thrust matter diverging flow region downstream of the thrust matter converging flow region, and a thrust matter discharge port. The steam jet assembly defines a steam converging flow region, a steam diverging flow region downstream of the steam converging flow region, and a steam discharge port. The combustion region is defined at least in part by the rotor. The rotary engine is adapted to cause a combustion reaction of an oxygen-fuel mixture in the combustion region in a manner to form combustion reaction products which comprise at least a part of thrust matter to be discharged through the thrust matter discharge port. The method further comprises operating the jet propelled rotary engine in a manner such that a jet stream of the thrust matter is discharged from the thrust matter discharge port at a supersonic velocity and operating the jet propelled rotary engine in a manner such that a jet stream of steam is discharged from the steam discharge port at a supersonic velocity.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.